Field of the Art
The present disclosure generally relates to configuration management databases and, more particularly, to systems and methods for managing configurations of distributed devices.
Background and Relevant Art
Over time, device manufactures produce many configurations of a given product line as features are added and defects are addressed. Manufactures need to know the configuration of the devices to be able to support the components and provide the proper “upgrade” path. The configurations of these devices are changed in the field as customers, users, or technicians update hardware and software components. The ability to track the configuration of the devices becomes more complex when the device has been in the field for a long period of time. For example, the life of a CT scanner or X-Ray machine can typically be about 10 to 20 years.
Some devices are regulated by the FDA. When updating hardware or software on the regulated devices, the FDA mandates tracking the configuration of certain devices and recording software updates. Records are required, for example, on medical devices that track these updates. Various methods have been used to track updates, ranging from an entire paper system to homegrown systems implemented to track devices in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system as part of software bill of materials (BOM). May manufacturers do not trust the data collected in these systems since the data accuracy relies on the service technician to properly update the device records, which may or may not occur. Sometimes service technicians update devices that were not scheduled to be updated, which further compounds the problems. Another complicating factor is that some end-customers have the ability to apply updates to the device (e.g., when CDs are shipped by the manufacturer), which leaves the manufacturer to rely on the customer or service technician to report on the status of each update. And on some devices, all control is lost by the manufacturer when the end-customers have the ability to update, add, and/or remove software.
Databases have been implemented to store relevant information about the devices in an organization's information technology (IT) services and to store the relationships between those components. This type of database is typically referred to as a configuration management database (CMDB). A CMDB generally organizes data collected from the components into a way that can be viewed and examined from various perspectives. The components of the information system in this context are referred to as configuration items (CI). The CI can include software, hardware, documentation, personnel, and any other conceivable IT component or combination of components.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0193386 to MaCaleb et al discloses a method for remotely updating software in computer systems. In the method, a client computer sent information about a software application to a server. The server compared the information to the most-updated upgrade package for the software application, which is stored in a part database. When the most up-to-date upgrade package was not installed, the upgrade was automatically sent to the client system. A client database stored configuration files for the client systems, which included a list of the installed software applications and their versions. MaCaleb discloses a “smart” creation of an update based on the “latest version” of components in the parts database. This system does not maintain information about the configuration of the device, but uses it to determine the delta from the latest. This system also does not verify that the update will match the configuration of the hardware and software associated with the device.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0262076 to Voskuil, a computer system is disclosed that is configured for policy-based management of software updates. The system maintained group-policy objects, with which groups of computers are associated. The system obtained identities of software updates from a source and filter criteria for each update to determine whether the update should be applied to a particular computer. The system assigned newly available updates to selected group-policy objects and added the obtained filter criteria to each group-policy object. The system performed necessary update installations for each group-policy object by determining whether the computer satisfied the filter criteria for the update for each combination of a computer belonging to a group associated with that policy object and an update assigned to that policy object. If so, the system applied the update to that computer. Although this system checks whether the update should be applied to a particular computer by applying filter criteria, it does not verify the configuration criteria. This system uses group policies to control software updates.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.